1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fishing light usable at night for attracting fish while also enabling the fisherperson to observe the direction of a fluorescent fishing line. An ultraviolet light is provided for attracting fish wherein the ultraviolet light also illuminates the fluorescent fishing line. A white light may also be provided to further attract fish and to assist the fisherperson in landing a hooked fish.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a fishing light which is removably mounted to a trunnion mount on the gunwale of a boat wherein one bulb is an elongated xe2x80x9cfishing lightxe2x80x9d connected to a rheostat for changing the brightness while the other light is a dual filament spot light. The filaments of these bulbs are mutually exclusive, that is, only one can be used at any given time. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,078 issued on May 4, 1976 to Eggers, et al.
It is also known to provide fishing light mounted to a gunwale of a boat by suction cups. For instance, see the U.S. Design Pat. No. 299,550 issued on Jan. 24, 1989 to Duncan M. Payne. A separate shield mounted to the top of the light is now required to keep the light from shining in the face of fisherpersons using this light.
It is further known to provide a lighting strip mounted in the bumper guard for the boat to provide for the ship""s directional lighting. The strips require 250 volts AC power normally not available on a fishing boat thus requiring a separate power source. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,401 issued on Feb. 27, 1996 to Graham P. Evans.
It is further known to provide a cargo vehicle perimeter clearance lighting system including an elongated core light conducting strip clad about its cross section with a translucent material layer having an index of refraction different from that of the core material to produce a light guide. The lighting strip is illuminated by a light source having light focusing reflectors to end-illuminate the light guide. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,293 issued on Aug. 7, 1990 to Johnson, et al.
William L. Hassler, Jr., in his U.S. Pat. 4,954,931 issued Sep. 04, 1990 claims a light source for producing a relatively uniform dispersed light emission along a length of a light bar, the bar comprising a prism made of polycarbonate having one frosted face and having a Light Emitting Diode lighting source in at least one end thereof.
There is a need for a fishing lighting system that is disposed in a location wherein damage to the fishing lighting system is substantially prevented and wherein the fishing lighting system is not in the way of the fisherperson. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one ultraviolet light source and at least one white light source wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a protective strip of a boat gunwale.
Specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one lighting assembly wherein the lighting assembly comprises at least one ultraviolet light source, at least one white light source, means for separately controlling the ultraviolet light source and the white light source and a mounting base, the mounting base carrying the ultraviolet light source, the white light source and the means for separately controlling wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a portion of the gunwale of a boat.
Another specific object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one ultraviolet light source wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a protective strip of a boat gunwale and wherein the light source is directed away from the gunwale of the boat and thus a separate shield is not needed to keep the ultraviolet light out of the eyes of fisherpersons using the fishing lighting system.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a night fishing lighting system integral with a protective strip of a boat gunwale wherein the fishing lighting system has means to illuminate a fluorescent fishing line.
A feature of this invention is to provide a lighting assembly associated with a portion of the gunwale of a boat which is disposed in a protective encasement, the protective encasement having protruding flanges snap-fitted into companion grooves in a base member channel of the protective strip of the gunwale over the lighting assembly.
Another feature of this invention is to provide a mounting base of a lighting assembly, the base attached to a base member channel of the protective strip of the gunwale wherein the lighting assembly has a cover fitted thereover, the cover snap-fitted into companion grooves in a base member of the protective strip of the gunwale.
Yet another important feature of this invention is to provide fishing lighting system comprising at least one lighting assembly wherein the lighting assembly comprises at least one ultraviolet light source, at least one white light source, means for separately controlling the ultraviolet light source and the white light source and a mounting base, the lighting assemblies of the fishing lighting system having a protective encasement or cover wherein the cover has a transparent portion and an opaque portion and wherein the transparent portion directs light emanating from the lighting assembly substantially downwardly and/or in a narrow strip directly outwardly from the gunwale.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system mounted within a channel on the edge of a boat gunwale.
A significant object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one lighting assembly wherein the lighting assembly comprises at least one ultraviolet light source, at least one white light source and a mounting base wherein the fishing lighting system replaces a section of a base member channel and a protective strip fitted onto the base member channel, the protective strip base member channel and the protective strip removed from a gunwale of a boat and wherein the fishing lighting system replaces only a minor portion of the length of the base member channel and the protective strip.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system adjacent a fishing location of a fishing boat.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system powered by an energy source utilized by a fishing boat.
Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system which is protected from damage by fisherpersons.
A further object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system which is protected from damage by flotsam and/or by dockside mooring.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a night fishing lighting system integral with a protective strip of a boat gunwale wherein the fishing lighting system has means to illuminate an area adjacent the boat gunwale to assist in landing a hooked fish.
Another significant object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system adaptable to an edge channel of a gunwale of various fishing boats.
Yet another significant object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system for attracting fish toward a fishing boat having the fishing lighting system mounted thereon.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system removably mounted within an edge channel of the gunwale of a fishing boat wherein maintenance may be performed upon the fishing lighting system by removing the fishing lighting system from the edge channel.
An extra object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system having portions of a cover thereof opaque and portions transparent or translucent to direct the light emanating from the fishing lighting system as desired by the user of the fishing lighting system.
An auxiliary object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system having means to operate one or several components of the fishing lighting system.
Another significant object of this invention is to provide a sealing means for a fishing lighting system.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one light source wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a portion of the gunwale of a boat and/or wherein components of a lighting assembly are directly connected to the gunwale.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one light source wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a portion of the gunwale of a boat wherein the at least one light source is releasably electrically coupled to at least one other light source.
Yet another feature of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one light source wherein the fishing lighting system is a removable, self-contained unit having a power source, a switching means, a light bulb, bulb sockets, integrated power circuit, mounting plate and cover.
Yet another feature of this invention is to provide a fishing lighting system wherein lamp receiving sockets are directly affixed to the gunwale of a boat, the fishing lighting system so provided also having a separable cover associated therewith.
Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a fishing lighting system mounted with and comprising a minor portion of the length of a protective strip in the edge channel of a fishing boat.